Amanda Barnes enters her fourth season with the Duke coaching staff after joining the Blue Devils as an assistant coach in the summer of 2011.

The 2014 campaign saw the defensive unit hold opponents to 9.84 goals per game and single-digit scoring on 10 occasions. Senior Taylor Virden ranked second in the ACC in caused turnovers per game (1.47) and fifth in the league in ground balls per contest (2.11) en route to earning All-America, All-South Region and All-ACC accolades.

Under Barnes’ direction, the Blue Devil defense allowed just 8.95 goals per game in 2013 and recorded the second school history in a 23-0 victory over Presbyterian Feb. 10. In 2012, her first season in Durham, Barnes helped lead the defense to a top-10 national ranking in scoring defense. Senior goalkeeper Mollie Mackler led the ACC in save percentage (.417) and saves per game (6.0) in conference contests while also earning All-ACC recognition. The unit held 13 opponents to single-digit scoring and allowed just 8.89 goals per game, marking the program’s first season with a team goals against average under nine since 2006.

In three seasons at Duke, Barnes has guided two Blue Devil defenders to All-America honors, including Virden in 2013 and 2014 and Kelsey Duryea in 2013. Duryea became the first goalkeeper in program history to earn the distinction as a freshman while concluding the 2013 season ranked fourth nationally in save percentage (.507) and 10th in saves per game (9.00).

A native of Bel Air, Md., Barnes came to Duke from Boston University where she served as an assistant coach during the 2011 season. With the Terriers, Barnes worked with Boston’s two underclassmen goaltenders, helping freshman starter Christina Sheridan to America East All-Rookie Team honors.

Prior to her stint at Boston University, Barnes worked with the goaltenders at Ohio State, helping guide the Buckeyes to a 20-14 record during her time in Columbus. Under her tutelage, Ohio State’s Kristen Gilwee set program records for career saves and wins after completing her career in 2009, while the Buckeyes’ Annie Carruthers garnered 2010 American Lacrosse Conference Goalie of the Year honors the following season.

Before her coaching career, Barnes was a four-year letterwinner at North Carolina, where she helped lead the Tar Heels to the NCAA quarterfinals in each of her four seasons. The squad’s starting netminder as a senior, Barnes was also a four-year member of the ACC Academic Honor Roll and graduated in the spring of 2008 with a degree in Exercise & Sport Science - Sport Administration and a minor in English.

In addition, she was a multi-year participant in the Carolina Leadership Academy, and received the program’s highest honor, the Three-Dimensional Leader award. Barnes also has extensive experience working as a camp instructor, including North Star, Between the Pipes, NEMS, Elite 300 and UNC camps.

Barnes, who also starred in cross country and swimming at C. Milton Wright High School, led the Mustangs to the 2004 Maryland state lacrosse championship. She was inducted into her high school’s hall of fame in the spring of 2009.